Fountain pen for concentrated ink



.Feb. 22, 1938. f E. WETZEL 0 1 FOUNTAIN, PEN FOR CONCEN'fRATED INK Filed April 1:5, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 22, 1938. w z 2,108,911

FOUNTAIN PEN FOR CONCENTRATED INK Filed Api'i1K13', 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 2 as A Feb. 22, 1938.

E. WETZ EL;

FOUNTAIN PEN FOR CONCENTRATED INK Filed A ril 13, 1937 3 "Sheets-Sheet 3 f7 .73.

Patented Feb. 22, 1938 umrso STATES PATENT OFFICE I FOUNTAIN PEN FOR CONCENTBATED INK Eugen Wetzel, Baitingen, Bade, Germany Application April 13, 1937, Serial No. 136,592

In Germany April 17', 1%{36 '1 Claims.

The invention which will be hereinafter tie-- scribed relates to a fountain pen with a container for concentrated ink, coloring matter and the like, said container being movable relative to the holding body.

The fountain pens of all systems which are in commerce, are constructed in such a manner, that they must be filled with ink from time to time, the ink being sucked in by means of pistons or by vacuum. If by accident there is no ink at disposal, it is impossible to re-fill the fountain pen so that it cannot be used.

The object of the invention .is to obviate this inconvenience.

Three embodiments of the invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows in section a fountain pen according to the first form of construction.

Fig. 2 shows the fountain pen in elevation, the

sleeve being removed.

Fig. 3 shows the fountain pen in sucking position. I

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the fountain pen ready for writing.

Fig. 6 illustrates the filling process for the container for coloring matter.

Fig. 7 shows an ink cartridge, particularly constructed for filling the container for coloring matter.

Fig. 8 shows partly in vertical section a fountain pen of the second form of construction.

Fig. 9 is a similar View as Fig. 8 showing the piston in another position.

Fig. 10 illustrates howthe filling of the upper container with coloring matter is effected.

Figs. 11 and 12 show the fountain pen according'to the third form of construction, in vertical sections in two different positions and Fig. 13 in elevation. I

The fountain pen according to the invention consists substantially, as shown in Fig. 1, of an ink container I and of a container 5 for the concentratedcoloring matter and movable relative to theink container. The ink container I is preferably made of transparent material and closed at the front end by a pen piece 2 carrying a pen 3 of glass, steel, gold or the like.

The rod 6 of a piston 5 serving as a sucking device forms a container for the concentrate. In this piston a discharge valve I and a closing cap 8 of rubber and the like are provided. The closing cap 8 is connected by control rod 9 or in any other suitable manner with a piston I0 mounted in the container Ii and serving for the continuous emptying of .the container I for the coloring matter or for pressing out the actually required quantity of coloring matter. A screwthreaded shaft I I is rigidly connected with the piston III and carries a set nut I2, an abutment nut I3 and a counternut I4 constructed as a cap nut.

The fountain pen according to the invention is used as followsz- The clamping or set nut I2 is screwed up to the 10 abutment nut I3 (Fig. 2) whereupon the cap nut I4 is depressed until the containers for the coloring matter and with the same the piston 5 are pushed into the ink container I (Fig. 3). The air is thus pressed out of the ink container as in all known fountain pens of the piston systems.

At the same time the piston III in the container 6 for coloring matter moves inwards as can be seen from Fig. 4 and presses a certain quantity of coloring matter determined by the abutment nut 0 I3 through thevalve 1 which is opened.

The fountain pen is then dipped into water or' into any other material and by means of the cap nut If they piston 5 1s pulled up into the extreme position, so that the ink container I is filled with water which mixes with the coloring matter contained in the ink container I, to form writing ink. Valve 1 has been automatically closed by the covering-flap 8 during the suction stroke after,

as equivalent for the discharged coloring matter, the corresponding quantity of air has been sucked into the container 6 for coloring matter, during the stroke of the piston. It is thereby prevented that in any position of the fountain pen more coloring matter can be dissolved and further the coloring matter dries as the container is now air-tightly closed. For securitysake the set nut I2 is then screwed home as can be seen from Fig. 1.,

A sleeve 4 (Figs. 1 to 4) serving as an abutment for the piston 5 has a screwthreaded extension I5 for a. capsule I6 which has to be screwed on as shown in Fig. 5, to ensure a practical shape of the fountain pen.

As can be seen from the foregoing description, the operation of the fountain pen according to the invention differs from that of an ordinary fountain pen of the piston system only by' the unscrewing of nut I2 prior to the pressing stroke A and by screwing home of this nut after the suction stroke.

The control of the valve or the mixing of the coloring matter or the dosing of the same are automatically effected. If the concentrate can be diluted 15 to 20 times, it is possible to employ 5 a quantity of concentrated coloring matter which lasts for 6 to 12 months. To re-fill the container 6 of coloring matter, a container 20 as shown in Fig. 6, is employed in that after unscrewing the cap nut I4 (Figs. 1-4) the container 6 for coloring matter is completely pulled out of the ink container I and pushed with its piston 5 into this container or cartridge 20. The nuts. I2, I3 and I4 are then unscrewed from the screwthreaded shaft and an extension piece I1 is screwed onto this shaft in any suitable manner.

In the position shown in Fig. 6 valve 1 is opened and during the suction stroke the container 6 'is filled with coloring matter. In order that air can fiow into the cartridge 20 for coloring matter during the suction stroke the screw bolt 22 having an air channel 2I is slightly unscrewed.

After the above proceeding the extension piece I! is removed, the nuts I2, I3 and I4, are screwed onto the screwthreaded bolt II into the initial positions andthe container for coloring matter is pushed into the ink container I.

The cartridge of coloring matter is then airtightly closed by the nuts 22, I8 and 23, the packing 24 of cork or similar material preventing the coloring matter from flowing out.

The fountain pen constructed according to the invention may be filled with ink also in the usual manner, the fixing nut I2 being not loosened but .the pen being dipped into the ink after the pressure stroke, so that ink is sucked in, the valve 1 remaining permanently closed. It may be advisable to arrange the container for coloring matter in the protecting cap, so that this container is under any circumstance separated from the ink container.

A fountain pen constructed according to the principle described may be carried out in a similar form as shown in Figs. 8 to 10. Two pistons 24 and 25 are mounted on ashaft 26, so that a double piston is formed, This double piston is adapted to move in a sleeve I, which has one or several circular grooves 21. The moving downwards or upwards of the piston is effected by a screw-threaded rod 3I with steep pitch, which is rigidly connected wi h a head 30 so that, when this head is turned the double piston is lowered or raised. Between head 30 and the corresponding end of sleeve I a short screwthreaded rod 29 is inserted adapted to be screwed into an internal screwthread 32 and serving to connect the head 30 with the sleeve I. Fig. 8 shows the double piston in the lowermost position. The concentrate is in the chamber formed between the two pistons 24 and 25, so that it is air-tightly shut off. The groove 21 is above the piston 24 so that it is completely filled with concentrate. The fountain pen is then dipped into water or into any other similar liquid and the double piston raised by turning head 30 so that water is sucked in (position shown in Fig. 9). The concentrate is moved upwards between the double pistons with the ex ception of the quantity filling the circular groove 21. This quantity mixes then with the water to form writing ink.

Fig. 10 shows how the coloring matter is filled into the fountain pen. The intermediate piece-29 with the screwthreaded shaft is screwed out and the head 30 removed from sleeve I. The double piston is then pulled out with the aid of the steep pitched screw 3I until the upper piston 25 is above the top end of sleeve I. Concentrated coloring matter is then filled into sleeve I by means of a syringe or any other suitable instrument. The

double piston is then screwed'down and the head 30 screwed on.

This form of construction presents in comparison with theflrst one the advantage that it is without valve, nozzles and the like so that not only the function is reliable but the manufacturing is extraordinarily simplified.

In the case I as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 a considerably larger chamber 33 for the concentrate is provided. Piston chambers 34 and 34a extend from the lower and upper end of the enlarged chamber 33. The pistons movably mounted in the case consist each of an upper disc 36a and a lower'disc 35, 35a of corkand of an intermediate disc 31, 31a of rubber or similar material. The two pistons are fixed on apiston'rod 26.

From the upper piston extends upwardly a screw spindle 38 with steep pitch. Into the upper intermediate screwthreaded end of case I the threaded end 38 of an end piece 40 is screwed (Figs. 11 and 12) which in the inner end carries a packing 4I. Through this packing a nut 42 with bore and internally threaded shaft extends, the upper end of said shaft being fixed in a knob 43 by a transverse screw 44. By turning knob 43 the piston is raised or lowered.

The space between the two pistons 35a and 36 is filled with coloring matter which moves together with the pistons and is not submitted to pressure. When the piston 35 is in the lowermost position, the extension piece 2 with the pen is dipped into a solvent, for instance water and ranged which, when the piston is in the lowermost position, is filled with coloring matter, which when the piston is moved upwards again remains in this annular groove and is automatically mixed with the water to form writing ink.

The fountain pen according to 'Figs. 11 to 13 possesses the special advantage, that by the rubber discs 31, 31a arranged between the cork discs 36a, 35a and 36, 35 respectively the enlarged chamber 33 filled with concentrate K is airtightly closed and that by the packing H a good packing between this chamber and the turnable knob 43 is produced.

I claim: p

1. An improved fountain pen with a container for concentrated ink, coloring matter or the like, comprising in combination a tubular ink container, an extension piece screwed on the lower end of this container, a pen in this extension piece, a piston in the top of the said ink container, a discharge valve in said piston and a closing flap of rubber on said valve, a ring on the upper end of said ink container, an externally screw threaded extension at the top end of said ring, a container for concentratedcoloring matter inserted in the extension of. said ring, a piston in the upper end of, said upper container, a rod downwardly extending from said piston and connected with saidclosing flap, a screw threaded rod upwardly extending from said piston in said upper cont'ainer,.a fixing nut screwed on this rod, a cap screwed on the top end of said screw bolt and an abutment nut under said cap.

2. Fountain pen as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with the'ink container 3. A fountain pen as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination a container comprising in its lower portion an ink container and in'its upper portion a container for coloring matter, said ink container having a circular groove in its inner wall and internal screw threads at the upper end, a piston rod in said ink container, a piston on the lower end, and a piston on the upper end of said piston rod, the lower piston being underneath said groove when said rod is pushed down, a high pitch screw spindle in the top end of said upper piston, a short screw threaded rod adapted to be screwed into the upper end of said ink container, a head on the top end of. said screw threaded rod, and a nut between said head and the upper end 01 said container.

4. A fountain pen as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with a case subdivided into a lower chamber having an annular groove in its inner wall and an upper chamber, an intermediate chamber which is wider than said upper and under chambers, so that a large quantity or concentrated coloring matter can be stored in the fountain pen.

5. Fountain pen as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with the upper and lower compartments and a larger middle compartment, a vertical piston rod, a piston at the lower end, and a piston at the upper end of said rod, said pistons consisting each of cork discs and of a a vertical piston rod, a piston at the lower end,

and a piston at the upper end of said rod, said pistons consisting each of cork discs and of a rubber disc enclosed between said two cork discs adapted to air-tightly close the space filled with coloring matter and in the upper end of said case a head piece with internal packing of theupper end of said fountain pen.

7. A tountain pen as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with the case, an upper and a lower chamber in said case, said lower chamber having an annular groove in its inner wall, and ailarger chamber between these two chambers filled with coloring matter, a vertical rod shiftable in said case, a piston on the upper end and a piston on the lower end of said rod, said upper piston ending at the top end of said larger middle chamber and said lower piston engaging in the lower position in the lower chamber and in the lilted position clearing said annular groove filled with coloring matter and remaining at a certain distance ifrom the lower end of said larger chamber to further enlarge the same.

EUGEN WETZEL. 

